By The Star Staff
University of Puerto Rico (UPR) President Luis A. Ferrao Delgado announced that, as of Tuesday, Yeidi Altieri Sotomayor no longer occupies the position of chancellor of the UPR Arecibo Campus.
The decision, the UPR president said, came out of the need to restore an environment of peace and collaboration within the university community, which in recent months has faced growing tensions due to the lack of communication and the management of various matters of general interest that affect the campus.
“Despite the efforts made through meetings and dialogues with various sectors of the university community, Dr. Altieri’s administration was unable to overcome the differences and find the necessary mechanisms for effective communication and the ability to make accurate decisions in the face of the challenges facing the institution,” Ferrao said. “These problems, which affected students, professors, and administrative staff, negatively impacted the institutional climate and collective well-being.”
He appointed Ricardo Infante Castillo as interim chancellor of UPR-Arecibo, effective Wednesday. Infante will lead the work of the administration of that campus until a call is made for a new chancellor.
The UPR president said he made the decision in order to allow a new beginning, and to restore confidence and cohesion in the university community of Arecibo. The commitment of the central administration of the UPR is to work together with all sectors to ensure that institutional processes are carried out with transparency, justice and efficiency, he said.
“The UPR will continue working in the search for new leadership for UPR Arecibo that will adequately address the university’s challenges and strengthen a climate of peace, respect, and dialogue among all its members,” Ferrao said. “The university community will be kept informed about the next steps related to this transition.”